Brake



April 18, 1944.

F. G. HUGHES 2,346,758

BRAKE Filed March 7, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /N\/ENTOR,' FREDERICK G. HUGHES,

HIS ATTORNEY April 1944. F. ca. HUGHES, 2,346,758

BRAKE Filed March 7, 1941 2 sheets-sheet 2 66 FIG? 63 63 a mg l FIG 12 H2 138 H/s ATTORNEY FRfDER/CK G. HUGHES,

Patented Apr. 18, 1944 UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE v 2,346,758

Frederick G. HugheZl, Coma, assignor to gigzaalulzfiitarsnecfirpwggtion, Detroit, Mich, a

Application March 7, 1941, Serial No. 382,187

6 Claims.

easily demountably secured as a'unit to the bicycle and to the brake mechanism in such a manner thatno breakage can occur and the fluid remains sealed within the control mechanism.

Another object is to provide a completely filled and sealed conduit system which is detachably secured without leakage to a brake control and to brake mechanisms in the front and rear wheels of a bicycle.

To these ends and also to improve generally upon devices of this character, the invention consists in the various matters hereinafter described and claimed. In its bioader aspects, the invention is not necessarily limited to the specific construction selected for illustrative purposes in the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a diagrammatic showiing of a bicycle having my braking mechanism associated with both wheels;

- 2 shows the brake control mechanism assoted with the front wheel of a bicycle;

i i e 3 is a fragmentary plan view'of a front wheel hub and associated brake mechanism;

Figure 4 is an end elevation of a front wheel k brake mechanism;

Figure 13 is a fragmentary sectional view showins one embodiment of a manual control for the hydraulic brake mechanism;

Figure 14 shows the mounting for the manual 5' control of Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a fragmentary s tional view of another embodiment of a manual control for the.

hydraulic brake m; and

Figure 16 is an end view of the control of Fig- 1o ure 15.

The numeral l0 indicated a bicycle frame having a rear. wheel l2 journalled in the rear fork and afront wheel It iournalled in the front steering fork It which is steered-by the usual to handle bars It. A hand lever 20 mounted adjacent to one of the grips produces pressure in a closed hydraulic system completely fllled with a substantially non-compressible brake fluid such use suitable oil, as will appear, to apply brakes to so {both the front and rear wheels. The system :lncludes the conduit 2t mountedon the handle bars to swing therewith and connected to a .flexible conduit tlwhich leads to a couplin 26 mounted on the frame.

it fixed to the front fork and swlngable' 'therewith. This branch controls the front brake -while a branch conduit ht connected to the coupling 2t and mounted on the fe controls the 30 rear brake. As will appear, the conduit system is a unitary structure which is detachable from the bicycle and capable of shipment as a unit without leakage of the pressure fluid.

A front wheel hub M is fournalledby ball Another flexible conduit 2% leads from the coupling 26 to a conduit e 5 is a diametrical section through my been the usual adjle bearing cones front wheel brake mechanism and showing-the it and 8t threaded on a front axle M which is associated wheel hub; clamped in the front fork it. The hub has a.

Figure 6 is an end elevation of the front wheel flan e M to which is riveted s y e tend- Y b assembly; ins dished flange M on a brake drum 46 which o W; e 'l is a cross sectional view taken along 40 the line ll-l of Figure 6 and looking in the di rection of the arrows;

ins brake band and its associated guide clip:

' Figure 9 is r. fragmentary plan view of a brake mechanism on a rear wheel hub;

Figure 10 is an end view of a rear wh eel brake mechanism;

Figure '11 is a diametrical section through a.

rear wheel mechanically operated coaster brake I which also embodiesia hydraulically operated brake;

Figure 12 is an enlarged diametrical section showing a'free-wheeling rear'driving hub which includes a hydraulic brake mechanism;

.e 8 is e. fragmentary sectional view showterminates in a spoke flange 48. Fixed against 0 bent anchor arm 62 is-riveted to the anchorin plate and has-its end secured by a clip 64 to the front fork l6.

' The anchor plate has an opening through which a fluid holder or brake energizing casin 58 projects; the casing having a flange 8! fitting the side of the anchor plate and removably fas- L tened thereto by nuts 62 threaded on shouldered studs 63 which are carried by the anchor plate 50.

A h ollow protuberance 6! has a port it at one end to receive the conduitji; the port 86 meetin end of the system a port 88 which extends into a cylindrical receptacle or cavity I8. One end of the cavity has a solid wall while the other end is counterbored to form a seat for the rim of a flexible diaphragm I2 held flrmly against the seat by a flanged sleeve I8 and a dished ring 18 having ears expanded into a groove. The diaphragm is preferably composed of "Neoprene which has many of the characteristics of rubber but is more resistant to oil and heat. Sleeve I8 acts as a cylinder or guide fora plunger I8 whose rounded end engages the diaphragm. The movement of the plunger actuates brake shoes as will now appear.

A brake shoe 88 having a central flange or web 82 is mounted on a stud 88 which projects from one of the shouldered screws 88 and has a cotter pin and a washer holding the web. The web 82 has an oversize hole for the stud 88 to allow some bodily motion of the brake shoe. A

companion brake shoe 88 is pivoted on a stud 88 which is larger than stud 88 so that this brake shoe can only pivot thereon without moving bodily. Spring clips 82 engage the webs to urge brake shoes are similar to those on the front wheel and operate in the same way but it is to be noted that the receptacle or cavity I28v is larger than that for the front wheel so that,

' when fluid pressure is produced in the conduits the brake shoes towards the anchor plate. Coil springs 88 urge the brake shoes away from the brakedrum 88 and a coil tension spring 88 con-' meets the ends of the, shoes to urge them to wards one another. The shoes have companion pyramidal sockets one to receive a screw supporting member 88 and the other to receive an internally threaded member I88 which co-opcrates with a screw; I8I iournalled in member 88 and having an adjustinghead I82. The head I82 is accessible for adjustment through a hole in the anchor plate when acover plate I88 is swung to one side.

A coil spring I88 tends to move the brake shoes to contracted or inoperative position when fluid pressure in the receptacle or cavity I8- is relieved. When pressure-is applied from the hand lever and conduit system, the plunger I8 moves the shoe 88 outwardly against the brake drum which is rotating forwardly and, by its rotation and frictional engagement, tends to expand the brake shoes and apply them more forcibly, It is important to note that the hydraulic system is a unitary. device which can be shipped separately from the bicycle, or it can be detached therefrom without bleeding or losing the brake fluid in either case. For instance. re-

moval of the nuts 82 allows the fluid holder orcasing 88 to be disconnected from the brake anchor and pulled out or thelatter sidewise, the

conduit 38fhav ing suflicient flexibility for this. Hence the front wheel can be removedfrom the forks, as for repair of the tire, yet the detached remains closed by the diaphragm I2. The rear wheel can be similarly detached, as will appear, without leakage from the corresponding conduit 82 and the hereinafter described power applying device has a simi lar diaphragm and is demountably fastened on the handle bars as part of the unit or system without leakage.

A free-wheeling rear wheel. hub II8 has a shouldered-seat onwhich is secured a sleeve II2 on a dished brake member II8 having a brake drum' II8 terminating in a spoke flange II8. One end of the hub is iourna'lled on a ball bearing having a cone I28 threadedonan axle I2I. clamped by a nut against this cone is the outwardly'oflset center portion of an anchor plate by the handle, the rear wheel brake will tend to go on first or with greater pressure than the front wheel brake, thus avoiding a skid.

The rear wheelhub can optionally have a conventional coaster brake as an emergency brake. this brake comprising brake discs I88 alternately keyed to the hub and to an anchoring extension of the cone I88 and being forced by a brake actuator I88 towards the cone as a result of back pedalling. Such a brake also comprises a lag spring I88, a threaded connector I88 engaging threads on a driving sleeve I82, and a chain driven sprocket wheel I88, the connector having clutching engagement with the hub for driving it, moving out of engagement with the hub for coasting, and being urged into clutching engagement with the actuator to apply the brake by back pedalling. However, such emergency brake can be omitted in which case, the brake discs are omitted as indicated in Fig. 12, together with their splines, and the member I 88A is attached to the axle as by threading. Thus, forward pedailing will drive the bicycle while holding the pedals stationary or back pedalling will merely let the bicycle free-wheel.

The power to brake, as stated above, is produced by the hand lever 28. The conduit 22 enters a port I88 in a cup-shaped power casing. I82 fitting in a detachable bracket or strap I88 which nearly surrounds the casing, the upper portions I88 of the strap being bentto conform; to the handle bar and terminating in- 9; lug and in a hook tocooperate with a hooked clip I88 having a clamping bolt I18. The casing has a threaded plug I12 to close a filling opening and'is v counterbored to form a seat for the rim of a flexible diaphragm "8 held on by a flanged sleeve I18 and a ring I16. A plunger "8 which is rounded at one end to engage the diaphragm slides in'the sleeve I18 and its other end is flat, to engage a roller I88 actuated by the hand lever. The roller turns on a pin connecting a rpair of cars formed by making the hand lever substantially U-shaped in cross section, as by bending it up from sheet metal. The lever is pivotedon a pivot pin I82 carried by a bracket or stirrup I88 whose sides are bent around the sleeve I18 at the top and fastened by a'rivet I88, the stirrup having a clip to clamp it detachably to the handle bar. The power casing .I82 is detachable from the bicycle as unit with the conduit system and the connected brake energizing casings 88 and I28 and the system remains closed without loss of liquid. Thus these part-scanbeshippcdasaunitwiththeproper' plate as a-se'aled fluid filled unit.

and": v 3

coil 202 against a piston or plunger 2. The plunger has a lug 2.! which has a pin and slot pivotal connection with a link 208 pivoted at 2lli to a bracket 2l2-detachably clipped to the handle bar. A lever 2" is pivoted at MS to the bracket and carries a pin 2 It bearing against the link 288 to force the plunger into the casing and thereby compress the bellows. The pin bears at a middle portion of the link to get ample movement of the plunger for a given movement of the lever. bviously the actuation of the hand lever results in creating pressure in the bellows and the conduit system to apply the brakes. A stop plate 2| 9 limits downward swinging oi! the lever. The casing I9Bis demountably supp rt d in a strap or stirrup 220 having a spacing block 222 rivetted to its arms and conforming to the handle bar.

The ends of the stirrup are cletachably.secured for a vehiclehaving a frame and aplurality of supporting wheels detachably secured to said frame, a brake drum'on each wheel, an anchor plate adjacent to each brake drum, brake shoes carried by the anchor plates and movable into and out of braking en agement with'said brake drinns, a unit handling conduit system complete- 1y filled with a pressure-transmitting fluid and transportable independently of said vehicle, 35 means sealing said conduit System against leakage, fluid pressure actuated brake shoe operating devices in said system. and means toattach and detach the conduit system as a unit to said frame and to said anchor. plate in brake shoe operating relation while said'conduit system remains a fluid filled unit sealed against leakage.

2; In a brake for a rotatable wheel hub, a brake drum secured to the wheel hub and having an open end, a non-rotatable anchor'plate at the open end of said brake drum and having an aperture therethrough, a brake shoe carried by said ancnor plate and movable into and out of braking engagement with said drum, 9. fluid pressure ac-' tuated device filled with fluid and extending from outside of the anchor plate through said aperture into a brake shoe operating position within said brake drum, and means detachably fastening said device to the anchor plate whereby said 55 axle, a hub rotatable on the axle and havmg a device may be completely withdrawn out of said drum through said aperture and from the arichor 3..1n a brake for. a rotatable wheel thevopen end of said brake drumand having-an aperture therethrough, a brake shoe carried by the anchor plate and movable into and out of raking hub; a brake-drum secured to the wheel hub and having .an open end, a--non-rotatable anchor plate at anism removably fastening the brake energizing casing to the anchor plate in such manner that the casing may be completely withdrawn from said brake drum and from the anchor plate 5 through said aperture, and means preventing fluid 1 leakage from the conduit and casing during the removal of the casing from said anchor plate.v

4. In a brake mechanism for a wheel, a brake drum on said wheel, an anchor plate atone end of said'brak'e drum and having an aperture therethrough, a brake shoe carried by the anchor plate and movable into and out of braking engagement with said brake drum, a brake energizing casing extending through said aperture and having a fluid chamber within said brake drum, a shoulder on said casing and engaging the outside of said anchor plate, a brake shoe operating member carried by the casing and responsive to fluid pressure changes within said chamber, a

conduit connected'to said casing outside of the anchor plate and communicating with said chamber, a fluid completely filling said conduit and said chamber, means producing changes in fluid pressure within said chamber, mechanism demountably fastening said shoulder against the anchor plate, and a member preventing'fluid leakage from the conduit and fromisaid casing during the demounting and withdrawal of said casingaway from d brake-drum and out of said aperture and from the anchor plate.

5. In a device of the,- character indicated. an axle, a hub rotatably supported-in unit-handling relation with said axle, a brake drum secured to cured to said axle at one end of the brake drum and having aperture therethrough, a brake shoe carried b the anchor plate and movable into and out of braking en agement with said brake drum, a hydraulically operated device demountably secured to the outside of said anchor plate and having a fluid chamber within said brake drum, a conduit connected to said device outside of the. anchor plate and communicating with said fluid chamber, fluid filling said conduit and said chamber, a brake operating member responsive to fluid pressure changes in said chamber, and means between said chamber and-brake operating member whereby said device may be removed from the drum and from the anchor plate through said aperture as a fluid filled unit.

' 6. In a hub brake for bicycles, a frame having a fork, a pair of separable units removably mounted on the frame, one unit comprising an braking surface, an anchor plate fixed to the axle, a brake shoe movably mounted on the anchor plate to engage the braking surface, said one unit fitting in the fork for removal therefrom, the other unit comprising a fluid filled.

sealed up; conduit system. the system having a pressure applying device at one end for actua tion bytherlder andaconnected brake energizingcasingat theotherendtoenergizethe a brake shoe, and means for detachably securing mimics a. nuaims.

' and rotatable with said hub, an anchor plate se-' 

